Color
by LOSTrocker
Summary: Song fic. Joe and Richie bond over looking one of Joe's old photo albums.


**A/N: **There's this amazing country song called "In Color" by Jaimey Johnson and every I hear it, I think of Joe. So, after I caught it again the other day, the plot bunnies got to hopping. This is a one-shot song fic. Joe/Richie bonding and a little crossover with the X-Files. Skinner said he was in Nam and I just pictured him and Dawson knowing each other. Oh, and this mentions Tilly from my other Highlander stories as well. One more thing, then I swear I'll shut up. Thanks again to my awesome beta buddy Matt Garvey for putting up with me and my stories! Thanks so much! Onward readers!

**Color:**  
By: LOSTrocker

_**I said grandpa what's this picture here?  
It's all black and white, it ain't real clear.  
Is that you there?  
He said, "Yeah, I was 11.  
Times were tough back in '35,  
that's me and Uncle Joe just tryin' to survive  
A cotton farm, in the Great Depression.  
If it looks like we were scared to death,  
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other,  
You should've seen it in color…**_

Richie came into the bar to find Joe looking through an old photo book album.  
"Watcha got there Dawson?" he asked as he pulled up a stool.

"See if you can tell me," Dawson answered, pushing the album in  
Richie's direction.

Richie took a look at the pictures. They were all in black in white and  
mostly of a young boy in suspenders. Richie glanced back up at Dawson, then  
back at the boy. If he didn't know any better, Richie would think this was Dawson as a kid.

"No way that this is you."

Joe laughed. "The one and only."

"Aww, you were so cute," teased Richie. "What happened there  
Joe?"

"Watch it kiddo, I might be old but I can still kick your ass."

_**Oh, and this one here was taken over seas, in the middle of hell in 1943.  
In the winter time, you can almost see my breath.  
That was my tail gunner ole Johnny McGee,  
He was a high school teacher from New Orleans,  
And he had my back right through the day we left.  
If it looks like we were scared to death,  
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other,  
You should've seen it in color…**_

Joe shared some more of his memories with Richie. Most of the time Richie got  
on his nerves because of his punk wannabe attitude but today he found  
Richie's company rather enjoyable. He didn't have a grandson, at least as  
far as he knew, but he imagined this was probably what it was like. It was  
nice to find that someone was actually interested in him for a change.  
Richie's eyes really got big when he came up on the old war photos.

One in particular got Richie's attention more then the others. It was one  
of a group of soldiers relaxing by a fire. They all were laughing, enjoying  
themselves for a split second. One of the soldiers had a guitar.

"That good looking cat is me," Dawson pointed to one who held the guitar.

"Figures," Richie said with a smile.

"And the kid beside me is Skinner, we all called him Skinhead," Dawson  
said with a small laugh. "He was a good buddy of mine."

Richie caught that. "Wait, was? You mean he didn't make it?"

"Oh yeah, he made it." Dawson assured him. "I just meant we were close  
then, we had to be to."

"Well, what happened to him. How come you aren't close anymore?" asked  
Richie.

"Our lives keep us busy Rich, he works for the government now." Dawson  
informed the youngster. "FBI."

"Get out of dodge." Richie gawked.

"I'm not lying," said Joe. "He visits every now and then. Next time  
he comes by, I'll introduce you."

"Sweet, do you think he'll let me see his gun?"

"Ha, I barely trust you with a sword, do you think we're going to let you  
get your hand on a gun?"

_**A picture's worth a thousand words,  
But you can't see what those shades of gray keep covered.  
You should've seen it in color…**_

As Richie kept looking through and listening to Joe's stories that went  
with them, he couldn't help but sigh. Joe's life seemed so much more  
interesting then his, and he had the pics to prove it. He wasn't the only  
one. Mac didn't even touch Joe's collection and here he was with nothing.

"What's eating you Rich?" Joe stopped a moment when he noticed that  
Richie's intrigue died down a bit. He wasn't hurt at all. He knew his old  
stories could only keep a young boy like Richie for so long. Dawson was more  
concern for him.

Richie gave Dawson back his photo album. "I don't know man, it's just I  
have nothing compared to you guys." Richie gave Dawson a small smile. "I  
don't have any photos, and hardly any good memories."

Dawson returned the album in Richie's direction. "You're probably  
right. You don't, now, but Richie you just don't gain these things over  
night. You earn them over time. Look at me. I only have one life time. This  
will all I have when I'm gone, but you and MacLeod will have many life times  
to gather all the memories that come with your Immortality. I'm sure  
you'll have a thicker book then me."

Richie's small smile turned into a smirk. He liked the thought of that.  
"Do you think I'll live long enough to get some good ones?"

Dawson was sure of it. Richie had so much potential.

_**This one is my favorite one,  
This is me and grandma in the summer sun,  
All dressed up, the day we said our vows.  
You can't tell it here but it was hot that June,  
And that rose was red and her eyes were blue.  
And just look at that smile, I was so proud…  
**_  
Richie was glad that Dawson gave him back the book. The last few pictures  
were of Betsy. Richie caught the smile on Joe's face. "I like this one,"  
he showed Richie one in the middle.

It was one where they at a high school dance. "One of our friends caught us  
dancing. I beat the shit out of him after that," Joe laughed. "I should've  
thanked him. It's a good picture."

Indeed, it was a good picture. The lighting was just right, and it was easy  
to tell that the two were in love. They were looking in each other's eyes  
with a smile on their faces.

"You're one lucky bastard you know that Dawson?" Richie asked him just  
to make sure he really knew.

"Yeah, I know."

_**That's the story of my life right there in black and white.  
And if it looks like we were scared to death,  
Like a couple of kids just trying to save each other,  
You should've seen it in color…  
**_  
Richie flipped the page again. He smiled when a familiar face stared back at  
him. It was of Tilly. Of course, she wouldn't have been in the earlier  
photos. They didn't know each other then. She wasn't even born yet. Richie  
was glad that Dawson had some of her. He made a mental note to tell her later.  
She probably all ready knew, but she probably didn't mind hearing that Joe  
had some of her.

Tilly wasn't alone. Joe was with her in most of the pictures. Some of them  
were taken in Paris, others in Scotland, Joe and Mac's usual haunting  
grounds.

Richie smirked. "I can see you've found a way to mix business with  
pleasure."

Joe blushed.

_**A picture's worth a thousand words,  
But you can't see what those shades of gray keep covered.  
You should've seen it in color…**_

Mac was in the album to. Richie should've known. After all, Mac was his  
Immortal. Richie found he liked the pictures of him and Mac hanging at the  
bar. They just looked like two normal guys having fun, and these two were far  
from normal.

"That was awesome Joe, thanks you know, for sharing with me." He said.  
"No one has ever really done that with me before."

"Now, hold on a damn minute, you got one more page there," Dawson showed  
him. "Take a look."

Richie couldn't believe it. Joe had managed to take a good one of him  
winning one of his motorcycle races on the Parisian race track. Richie could  
feel the tears coming.

Joe laughed. He saw Richie's eyes go moist. "Do I see a tear? You mean  
you have feelings?" It was his turn to tease.

"Shut up Dawson," Richie retorted. He had to bring his fingers to his  
eyes to block the tears from coming. He didn't want Dawson to see him cry.  
Richie was a macho guy, at least he liked to think he was, and macho men  
didn't cry. "Get me a drink Joe. I think I could use one right now."

Joe gladly did as told. A lot of the pictures he had were black and white but  
Rich's was in color.  
_**  
You should've seen it in color.**_

~ End ~

**Song: In Color, By: Jamiey Johnson **


End file.
